Munich. The winners of the 2018 BMW Sports Trophy are Danny Brink, Philipp Leisen, Christopher Rink (all GER) and Classic BMW. At the traditional BMW Motorsport end of season review, which took place at BMW Group Classic in Munich (GER) on Friday evening, the most successful privateer BMW drivers and teams of the year were awarded trophies and prize money. Once again, a total of 350,000 euros was up for grabs. The top three drivers alone were awarded 25,500 euros each. Walkenhorst Motorsport won the first ever audience award, Schnitzer team principal Charly Lamm accepted a special honour.

Together with presenters Eve Scheer and Patrick Simon, and BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt, the guests looked back at the highlights from the BMW works programmes and BMW customer racing. The “BMW Customer Racing Win of the Year” was awarded for the first time. Over the past two weeks, social media users around the world were asked to pick their favourite of ten racing highlights from the year via BMW Motorsport’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels. With 27 per cent of the votes submitted, victory went to Walkenhorst Motorsport. The team won the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) with the BMW M6 GT3 in July.

Emotional appearance by Charly Lamm.

The most emotional moment of the evening was the appearance of the long-standing Schnitzer Motorsport team principal Charly Lamm. In September, after almost four decades as head of the team, Lamm announced that he would no longer hold his traditional position as of 2019. “I would like to thank Charly Lamm for his dedication, passion and accomplishments for the BMW brand as the team principal of Schnitzer Motorsport,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt and presented Lamm with the bonnet of a BMW M6 GT3 signed by all of the evening’s guests. “No-one embodies our unique success story in touring car and GT racing better than Charly. The fact that he was able to get the win once again with his team at the FIA GT World Cup in Macau as he bid farewell to the pit wall was a real motorsport fairy tale.”

BMW privateer drivers achieve an abundance of wins and titles once again in 2018.

For large parts of the evening the stage belonged to the privateer teams and drivers who once again secured numerous wins and titles in 2018. “The 57th edition of the BMW Sports Trophy was once again a real thrill,” said Marquardt. “Week after week privateer drivers and teams enjoy success on the racetracks of the world as ambassadors of the BMW brand. They not only regularly demonstrate the competitiveness of the entire BMW vehicle range, but also their absolute will to win. We are delighted to be able to honour these achievements with the BMW Sports Trophy. On behalf of the entire BMW Motorsport team, I would like to congratulate Danny Brink, Philipp Leisen, Christopher Rink and Classic BMW on their sensational season.”

Brink, Leisen and Rink, who contested the entire VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring (GER) season together, clinched victory in the BMW Sports Trophy driver standings and a prize of 25,500 euros each with a total of 570 points. The trio celebrated six class wins in the BMW 325i in nine VLN races, and saw them claim the overall win in the VLN at the end of the season. Last year, the three BMW drivers finished in third place in the BMW Sports Trophy rankings, behind the successful duo of Ricardo van der Ende and Max Koebolt (both NED).

“I have attended this event since I drove for Matthias Unger and his team,” said Rink. “First place was close a couple of times. Being at the top now, after all the success we had on the racetrack this season, is as good as it can get.” Brink said: “Winning the BMW Sports Trophy award is a dream come true. Many thanks to BMW for this event and the great customer support.“ Leisen added: “Just the same as it has been every year, the competition was very tough. Probably the bonus points we received for our VLN title made the difference and allowed us to take P1 this time.”

Classic BMW puts an end to the Adrenalin streak in the team standings.

After the BMW Sports Trophy team title going to Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport the last four times, there was a change at the top this year. With a total of 1,020 points, the Classic BMW team finished in first place and was rewarded with a cash prize of 30,000 euros. The American team enjoyed success at numerous race events in North America with the BMW M235i Racing and the BMW M4 GT4 as part of the BMW Sports Trophy in 2018. They recorded a total of 20 podiums as well as the team title in the Pirelli World Challenge TC class. Behind them were 3Y Technology and Securtal Sorg Rennsport in second and third places.

“The whole BMW family inspires us to give our very best in every single race with our BMW cars and to keep on fighting, even if there are problems during a race,” said team owner Eric Maas. “There are so many people to thank, but let me point out my team principal Toby Grahovec, who is the persons who is most responsible for this success.”

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